


It's beginning to look a lot like Bughead

by classicalbughead



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, famous au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-19 06:02:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13117557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/classicalbughead/pseuds/classicalbughead
Summary: Betty moved to New York to fulfill her dream and be a journalist. The week before Christmas she stumbles upon Jughead Jones, an author.Riverdale AU where Jughead never lived in Riverdale. All the other stuff has still happened.





	1. I'll be home for Christmas

Betty checked her ponytail in the mirror of her small flat. She couldn't wait to get out of that big city and visit her parents and her sister with the twins in Riverdale. It had been ten years since she graduated and for the first five years, she was equally happy to have escaped that small town with its buried secrets and sad to leave all of her friends, especially Veronica, Kevin, and Archie behind. Of course, Veronica and Archie also moved to away. They had gotten married last summer. A big wedding with lots of posh, just as Betty had always imagined how Veronica's wedding would be. 

Bettys cat Caramel meowed annoyed. Betty bent down and patted her little head. 

"Well, little one, guess who's going on a date tonight?" she asked her cat. Caramel looked at her with wide eyes and Betty smiled. A guy from work had asked her out and though she thought he was really nice, Betty just didn't feel it. 

She had been waiting to meet the right guy for years now, but Betty had never liked a boy as much as Veronica liked Archie or Polly liked Jason. Nonetheless, Betty had decided to give this guy a shot. How bad could he be?

Betty soon regretted her optimism about her date. He barely let her speak and began to brag about his muscles. She silently cursed Kevin for convincing her to be more outgoing again. In the last few years she had her anxiety attacks under control but now, while she was sitting in a small restaurant her date, John, had invited her, her nails started digging into her palms. She needed to get out of here. 

"I have to take a call," Betty stated. John nodded, not even noticing that no phone had rung. She took her bag and went outside. 

While Betty was walking along the sidewalk, she thought about what she should do. She couldn't go back in there, but she also didn't want John to pay for her meal. After a few minutes, she decided to tell him the truth, give him the money and leave afterward. She turned around on the sidewalk and headed back to the restaurant.

A few meter before she reached the door something to her left caught her eye. Next to the restaurant was a bookstore and in the show window, there was a signed copy of Beloved by Toni Morrison, one of her all-time favorite books. Her eyes trailed down to the price and she sighed. 

"If I had the money, my apartment would be full of old books," she muttered. 

"The smell is wonderful," said a voice beside her and Betty soon around. She expected to see John next to her. But the man next to her certainly wasn't John. 

He was tall, had dark hair and his blue eyes were examining her. Betty blushed a little bit. The man was handsome no doubt.

"Sorry for scaring her. I'm Jughead," he said and sook her hand. 

"Betty Cooper," she breathed quietly. His blue eyes were still staring into hers and it gave Betty goosebumps.

"So, Betty Cooper, you like old books?" Jughead said nodding to the show window. 

"Yes, Toni Morrison is one of my favorite authors," Betty admitted with a little smile, "You said the small was wonderful? Do you own lots of old books?"

Jughead nodded. "Yeah, I have an affinity for literature. Maybe – " he paused and looked back at her somewhat nervous, "Do you want to swing by some time?"

Betty was a little bit startled. "I would love to, but I don't know you at all. I mean, we literally just met."

"You're right, but if you change your mind, call me, " he said handing Betty a small card, "I don't have many visitors." Betty looked down at the card where she read Jugheads name and a hand-scribbled telephone number. 

"Thank you," she said, but Jughead was already gone, vanished in the cold Winters snow. 

***

"Hello?" Betty asked nervously after she had dialed the number Jughead had given her. He hadn't gotten out of her thoughts after that night. So, she had decided to call him, even though calling a random guy she had just met wasn't really her style. 

"Hello? This is Jughead Jones. Who is this?" a familiar voice said. 

"Betty. Betty Cooper. You uhm gave me your number. Yesterday at the bookstore."

"Yes, Betty. Thank god. If it hadn't been you, I would have had to change my phone number again. So, uhm, you want to come by?"

"Yes, I mean only if you want me to, " Betty stuttered. 

"Of course. A pretty girl, who is interested in books, who wouldn't want to invite you?" Jughead said. Betty was glad he couldn't see her because she was blushing again. He had called her beautiful.

"When could I come over?" 

"Whenever you want. I'm usually at home, but maybe give a call before you show up, okay?"

"So tomorrow at three is fine?" Betty asked shyly.   
"Absolutely. See you tomorrow, Betty, " Jughead responded.

"And where do you live?"

"You don't need to worry about that. I will pick you up, " Jughead said and hung up.

Betty also set done her phone and sank to the floor. Everything seemed so surreal to her. Never ever in her life had a boy invited her to his house. Betty never surpassed the third date. Every time the boy grew tired of her or she couldn't bear to be around the guy. But Jughead had had such an impact on her. She had never felt anything like that in her entire life. 

Caramel came over to her and nudged her. Betty petted her lightly. She thought about what Veronica would say. For her meeting, some guy on the street would be like a big new adventure. It was totally her style and not Betty's. She sighed and got up. Before she began to dream about her date tomorrow, she had to finish her newspaper article. 

The weeks that let up to Christmas were always very stressful. People tended to do more dangerous and stupid things. Last week Betty had to write an article about a guy who nearly got his family killed whilst chopping down a Christmas tree. Betty liked writing, but she would have really appreciated it when she didn't have to write stories about when people nearly died. She had studied Journalism for a reason and she that being publishing useful content filled articles on the front page and not the Fun Stories section. 

Caramel began to sleep in her lap while Betty sent her article to her boss. She was excited about her day tomorrow, although Jughead might discover, like so many men before him, that Betty Cooper was not the perfect-girl-next-door. She was scared that he might leave her when he found out about her anxiety issues. Her breathes began to fasten and Caramel lifted her tiny head. 

"Everything's all right, Cara," Betty told her cat, as she tried to steady her breathes. Everything would be all right, she told herself as she slowly began to drift off to sleep on her couch. 

***

In the morning she woke up to the sound of her alarm clock going off. She needed a couple minutes to remember where she was before she got up and went to the bathroom.

"Today is going to be a good day," she told her reflection in the mirror. She tried putting on some make-up to hide the dark circles under her eyes, which she managed somewhat acceptable. She hadn't gotten much sleep and she felt a little bit sick when she thought about meeting John in the office. Did he even realize that she was gone? She hadn't sent him a text in which she apologized for her behavior last night. That was what the typical Betty Cooper would have done. 

Betty took a deep breath and looked at her hands to see the damage from last night but the half circles in her palm were hardly visible anymore. She grinned a little bit. Was it because she met Jughead that her anxiety attacks hadn't been that bad last night? Betty didn't know, but what she was sure of was that by the mere thought of seeing Jughead today her body filled with warmth and anticipation.

When she left her apartment and headed for the office it was snowing. Betty pulled her hat further down to cover her ears properly. She loved the snow and as she was walking through snowy New York she began humming Christmas songs.

Work was rather busy, but Betty managed to get through it just fine. At ten she accidentally ran into John on the corridor in front of her boss's office. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to say something, but Betty just shook her head and went in the opposite direction. She knew that she had been rude, but she didn't care. Today was supposed to be a carefree day for her and talking with John about her mental issues would worsen her mood.

At two she left the office again, not before getting a ton of extra assignments from her boss, and went back through the snow to her apartment, in which Caramel awaited her wistfully. 

"Have you missed me, little one?" she asked her cat. Caramel nudged her leg and Betty petted her little head. "Well, I have to get ready for a date, Cara."

In the bathroom, Betty looked through her make-up drawer and decided to put some light make-up on. A few moments she contemplated whether she should loosen her ponytail or not until she decided to let it be. 

She pulled out a plain grey dress out of her closet. "What do you think, Cara? How does it look?" she asked her cat, whilst spinning in front of her mirror.

At five past three, she heard a knock at her door. She rushed to the door and when she opened it she blushed lightly. Jughead looked very handsome. He was still wearing his beanie, but he traded the S T-Shirt and the Flannel he had worn on the day they met for a nice white shirt. His eyes wandered over her body and when he looked up to her he was smiling.

"You look gorgeous, Betty," he said. Betty blushed even more.

"You look great too," she admitted, "I'll just grab my jacket." Jughead nodded and began scanning her apartment. 

"It looks very tidy in here. I like your book collection," he said nodding to her bookshelves after Betty had gotten back to him with her jacket. 

"Thank you, Jughead." He grinned at her and held out his arm.

"Shall me, Milady?"

Betty giggled and took his arm. He guided her downstairs where he had parked his car. Betty didn't know much about cars but Jugheads looked rather expensive. 

"So, what do you do for a living?" she asked curiously.

"I write," he answered simply and opened the car door for her.

"Like as an author? Or as a journalist?"

"As an author," he admitted as he started his car.

"I always wanted to be an author, but I figured I would be better off as a journalist," Betty said as Jughead left her building behind them. She looked at the car again. Jughead obviously had to be somewhat good as an author to effort this sort of car.

"Did you write any famous books?"

"Have you read The Secrets of Ordinary People?" he asked quietly while he turned left at the next intersection. Bettys mind began spinning.

"You are…Are you F. Jones? Like the F. Jones?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yes, I am and don't ask what the F stands for you wouldn't want to know."

Betty swallowed heavily. She was sitting in the car with one of her favorite authors, one of her idols.

"How did I not know what you looked like?"

Jughead shrugged. "I'm not really the spotlight kinda guy….We are here," he said when he stopped the car in front of a huge building, "Do you still want to come in?"

"Sure. I'm still interested in that library of yours," she said still lightly shocked. Jughead smiled relieved and got out of the car.


	2. Coldest Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jugheads first date is all fluffy and stuff. Also, Betty has a girl talk with Veronica

Jugheads apartment was on the 5th floor. It was ten times bigger than Betty's place and she suddenly felt embarrassed by how cramped it had been. In Jugheads living room there were two big windows from where you could see the whole city. 

“The view is amazing,” she said and walked closer to the windows.

“Yes, it is,” Jughead agreed leaning on his counter and watching her. Betty spun around and smiled at him.

“Didn’t you promise me a library?”

“Follow me,” he said and walked through a big wooden door.

His library was huge. There were books everywhere. In the middle was a large sofa to lie on and read. Betty sat down on it and looked around her at the hundreds and hundreds of books. 

“Do you like it?” Jughead asked from the door.

“I love it,” Betty breathed taken aback, “Do you know the scene in The Beauty and the Beast where Belle enters the library? This feels exactly like it.”

“Does that mean I look like a beast?” Jughead asked teasingly as he approached the sofa.

“You know exactly how handsome you are, Jones,” Betty said lightly blushing.

“Well…Do you want to read anything?” 

Betty shook her head. “Not really…Maybe we could watch a movie?”

“What do you want to watch? I don’t really have many Christmas movies, but maybe The Grinch or Home Alone?” he proposed.

“What about Mamma Mia?” Betty asked.

“I’ve never seen it,” Jughead confessed as he and Betty left the library.

“How? I mean literally, everyone has seen that movie.”

“Maybe I’m not everyone,” Jughead simply said and opened another door. Behind it was a room with a huge TV and a very comfortable looking sofa.

“Well, it’s time you watch it then, Juggie,” Betty said as she lowered herself on the sofa.

Jughead smiled and set up the TV. While the movie was loading he sat down next to Betty casually laid his arm on her shoulder.

“So, Betty, tell me about yourself.”

“You already know everything. My life isn’t that interesting really. I bet yours is. I mean your one of the most famous authors right now.”

Jugheads mouth twitched. “Your life surely is interesting too, Betty. Tell me something about yourself that nobody knows.”

“I don’t know…”

“Like…what books always makes you cry?” Jughead asked her, his eyes not leaving her face. His fingers were moving in small circles on her upper arm. Betty felt as if she was on fire. Jugheads touch sent an electric wave through her body.

“I guess…The Book Thief,” she answered, her voice trembling slightly. Jughead nodded.

“Yeah, that’s a pretty sad book…Now it’s your turn.”

“What was your favorite book when you were a child?” she wanted to know. 

“I don’t know…But I was obsessed with Percy Jackson at the age of thirteen, does that count?” he asked biting his lip. 

Bettys body was on fire. He was just so damn sexy. His blue eyes looked into her green ones. For a while, they just stared at each other until Jugheads eyes wandered to her lips. He dipped his head a little bit, but before their lips touched I have a dream started playing and Jughead took his eyes off of her and looked at the screen.

Betty exhaled heavily and leaned back against Jugheads chest. She could feel his muscles tensing. 

“Is that okay?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah,” he breathed as he put his left hand on her waist. It stayed there until the end of the movie.

“So, who is the father?” Jughead asked as the cast sang Waterloo. 

Betty shrugged. “Nobody knows.”

“This is very unsatisfying,” Jughead muttered.

“Oh, come one, you enjoyed it,” Betty said amused.

Jughead lifted his eyebrows. “How do you know?”

“I saw you mouth the words,” Betty admitted.

“I like the songs,” Jughead said.

“I can’t believe I made the world’s most famous author watch a rom-com that he loved.”

“Maybe I just liked it because it was your favorite movie?” Jughead suggested.

Betty looked up at him. He smiled back down at her. “I really had fun today, Jug.”

“Me too. At first, I thought you would be…I don’t know kind of starstruck if you found out who I was. People tend to act differently if they know you have a lot of money and are widely known.”

“Oh, I definitely was shocked but you’re still a person, Jug. I wanted to know who you were before I…” 

“Before you what?” Jughead asked as he shifted a little bit, so Betty sat across from him. 

“Is this a date?” Betty asked the question that had been in her head the whole time. Jughead looked at her in surprise.

“I thought bringing you into my house and showing you, my books would make it clear that it was a date…Is that okay?” he asked slightly concerned. 

“Yes, it was.”

“So…will you go out with me again?” he asked quietly. Betty believed she heard his voice being a little bit nervous.

“I would love to…Maybe on Saturday?”

“Works for me,” Jughead said relieved. Betty grinned.

“I have to go now. My boss will kill me if I won’t write does articles until tomorrow,” she said as she got up. Jughead nodded and followed her to the door where he helped her into her jacket. 

“Thank you for tonight, Jug, it was wonderful,” she smiled and placed a light kiss on his cheek before she left his apartment with a slightly startled Jughead in the doorframe.

***

When Betty had finally reached her apartment, it began snowing again. She watched the snowflakes fall silently against her windowsill. Winter had always been her favorite season. She loved covering herself in warm blankets and drinking some hot chocolate with little marshmallows. When Betty had still lived in Riverdale the whole Cooper house had smelled of cookies. She really missed her home at this time of year. Riverdale had always looked pretty, all covered in snow. These were the moments when Betty contemplated if leaving had been the right choice. But when she remembered all the horrible things, the murders, and serial killers, she was glad she had left. 

Caramel curled up in Betty's lap as she began typing her article. She really tried to concentrate on writing, but her thoughts trailed off to a specific beanie wearing man. He was an author. Could he be any more perfect? Betty sighed heavily. Her mom would still find something to complain about. Her mother had never liked one boy Betty had brought home. Why was she thinking about this? Did she want to bring Jughead home with her? They had only gone out on one date yet. And still, Betty really liked the thought of showing her hometown to Jughead. 

At eleven her phone rang. It was Veronica. “B? Are you still awake?” 

“Barely. My boss is a monster,” Betty answered smiling. She hadn’t seen her best friend in forever. 

“Are you coming home for the holidays?” Veronica asked, and Betty knew that her friend missed her as much as she missed her. 

“I will. I really miss Polly and I also think Kevin will be there. I haven’t seen them in forever. Are you guys coming?”

“If Archie gets off work we will. I really miss this small town. And Pop’s. I mean I never ever had milkshakes as good as the ones at Pop’s again,” Veronica gushed. 

“How are you guys?” Betty asked getting up from her sofa to get some coffee. She really needed it if she wanted to get through the night.

“Oh, we are fine. Archie is working very much. He really loves his job though…How are you, B? Have you made any new friends? How was your date with…Was it John?”

“It didn’t really go well...” Betty confessed.

“Oh, Betty. I’m so sorry,” Veronica said, and Betty could hear water running in the background. Her best friend was most likely in the bathtub.

“V, I have to tell you something…” Betty began.

“Yes?”

“I met another guy that night. He seemed really nice and I went to his place yesterday to watch a movie. I know it sounds crazy, but I never felt that way with anyone before. I really like him,” Betty told nervously.

“Oh. My. God. Betty Cooper finally found him!” Veronica screamed.

“Found who?” Betty asked confused.

“Your soulmate,” Veronica simply said.

“There’s no such thing as soulmates, V.”

“Oh yes there is. But you will see, Betty. So, what’s the lucky guy’s name?” Veronica demanded

“Jughead.”

“Jug-head? What an odd name. Are you sure it’s his real one?” Veronica asked, and Betty could basically see her wrinkling her nose.

“I think it’s a nickname…Ronnie, he is…he is an author,” Betty stuttered.

“Well, that’s wonderful…Isn’t it?” Veronica asked concerned.

“Yes, it totally is, but he is…Do you know F. Jones?”

“Of course, I do. I mean, who doesn’t know…Oh my god! Tell me you aren’t dating F. Jones?!” Veronica screamed again, and Betty had to hold the phone further away from her ear. 

“I…I kind of am?” Betty said quietly but not without a slight smile playing on her lips.

“This is amazing. Will you bring him to Riverdale?”

“Maybe…I don’t know. We only went out once, V. I don’t want to rush things. He is…well, he certainly seems perfect,” Betty admitted.

“I’m so happy for you, B. I have to tell Archie about this…Talk to you later?”

“I’ll call you if something important happens, okay?” Betty promised.

“Okay. Bye,” Veronica said and hung up the phone.

Betty laid back on her sofa with a cup of coffee in the one and her phone in the other hand. Would she really bring Jughead with her to Riverdale? They weren’t even dating yet, but still. Maybe she should just ask him. Maybe he would say yes. Betty shook her head. Not today. She still had to write. She had to push these thoughts aside. 

Three hours later Betty put her computer away and stumbled to her bed. In the last few days sleep had always come fast because she had been extremely exhausted. Even though she hated being that tired in the evenings, she was thankful. In the last few years, she had always been struggling with falling asleep. She probably still would if it wasn’t for her working late at night. 

Caramel curled up to a ball at her feet. Betty sighed and reached out to turn off her lamp. She nearly knocked off a picture frame situated on her nightstand. It was a photo of her and Archie when they both had been around five years old. Sometimes Betty missed the carelessness of being a child. 

She remembered the day when Veronica had walked into that diner and her life had changed forever. Veronica and Archie were a couple and Betty was…well she had been alone. She had felt alone and left out. She hadn’t been jealous of Veronica for being with Archie. She had closed the Archie chapter many years prior, but she still was eager to leave Riverdale as soon as she had turned eighteen and finished school. Polly had also wanted to leave home, but with two babies on the way she needed her mother’s help, which forced her to stay in that hated small town. Betty had meant to stay to help her sister, but Polly begged her to go. If she couldn’t leave, Betty should. And Betty did. 

When she first set foot in New York she had a strange feeling in her stomach. She could leave everything behind and built herself a new life. She could start anew. Never in her life had she felt so free and independent. For the first few years, Betty felt wonderful, until her job began stressing her out and her anxiety got worse. She stopped going out and meeting with her new-found friends. She spent her Friday nights in front of her TV with her cat on her lap. 

Betty sighed and also curled herself up like Caramel and fell asleep.


	3. Deck The Halls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jughead's second date, also featuring Jellybean and Jugheads narrative :)

Saturday couldn’t come fast enough. Betty knew she had to leave for Riverdale on Sunday morning. So, she had to ask Jughead to join her on their second date. Would he say yes?

On Sunday morning a short text from Jughead appeared on Betty's phone screen: "Put on some nice clothes for tonight." 

Betty smiled and texted back: "Where are we going?"

"Surprise ;)" came back

Betty sighed but she went to her closet and look for her wine-red skirt. She let her hair down and the blonde curls framed her face beautifully. She wondered where Jughead was going to take her. When she looked outside it was snowing. Like the night when she met him. 

Betty just wanted to put on some lipstick when someone knocked on her door. She opened it with an angelic smile on her face. Jughead Jones wore a black suit and Betty thought how she had never seen a more beautiful man in her life. 

“You aren’t wearing your beanie,” she noted. His black locks were falling into his eyes and Betty wanted to run her fingers through them. 

“And you loosened your ponytail,” Jughead said his eyes trailing from her hair to her legs. Betty grinned as she noticed him blushing.

“Do you want to come in?” she asked. 

Jughead shook his head. “No, we have to leave right away, Betts.”

Betty raised her eyebrows. Since when did he call her Betts? But she grabbed her purse and followed him to his car. 

The lights in the streets and the snow falling from the sky was giving Betty some Christmas vibes. Again, she had to think about Riverdale, but she decided to ask Jughead at the end of the date. 

“We are here,” Jughead said when he stopped the car in front of a fancy looking restaurant. 

“Wow,” were the only words Betty managed to say. She had never been in a restaurant this pretty before. There were lights everywhere and everything seemed to be silver and golden. 

“You didn’t have to bring me here,” Betty said, thinking about how expensive this had to be. 

“The food is really good here and besides a beautiful girl like you deserves a beautiful place like this.”

Betty smiled shyly. “Thank you, Jug.”

Jughead ordered some wine and they began talking about some of their favorite books.   
“So, you never read any comics when you were little?” Betty asked stunned. Archie had carried his comics everywhere they went.

“I read…some…well actually I have a pretty big Marvel collection at home,” Jughead said grinning nervously.

“Marvel? Really? I love their movies. Who’s is your favorite hero?” she asked.

“I don’t know…Maybe Iron Man? Who is yours?”

“Captain America,” Betty said.

“I figured,” Jughead nodded, “Oh look the food.”

After Betty and Jughead had eaten they exchanged some childhood memories. Betty found out that Jughead had a little sister, Jellybean, and that she and his mother had moved to Toledo. Jughead had lived with his father for a while until he left his hometown with eighteen to be an intern at a publishing agency. He had always loved writing and one day his boss had accidentally found his notebook and decided to publish his story. 

Betty told Jughead about her childhood in Riverdale, about her sister being pregnant and about Jason Blossom dying. She told him about her best friends and about her parents, who ran the local newspaper. This had been the reason she had always wanted to be a journalist. She had written for the school newspaper and when she got eighteen she left Riverdale to pursue that career.

“So, what are you going to do on Christmas?” Jughead asks the question Betty had been waiting for.

“I will drive to Riverdale tomorrow. I haven’t seen my sister and her children in months. And Veronica and Archie will probably come too. I have missed them.”

Jughead just nods. “When are you coming back?”

“On the 28th…Look, Juggie…TÍ have been meaning to ask you…I mean if you’re not to busy or anything…if you maybe want to join me?” Betty stuttered.

Jughead eyebrows arched up in surprise. “I mean, we’ve been dating for a week and this sounds completely crazy, so I understand if you say no, but…”

“It’s okay, Betty. I’d love to come with you to Riverdale,” Jughead said, his fingers forming small circles on the back of her hand.

“You do?” Betty asked. 

Jughead nodded. “I’m sure, Betts.”

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

“We can take my car if you want to? I haven’t left the city for a while, so this trip won’t be bad for me,” Jughead grinned at her and got up.

“Let’s go home. We have a big trip ahead of us.”

“And you are sure that you want to come with me?” Betty wanted to make sure.

“Positive,” Jughead said as he opened the car door for her. 

When they arrived in front of Bettys building Jughead followed her up the stairs. 

“Thanks, Juggie for the evening. It was amazing.”

“I’m glad you liked it. I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Jughead said and turned around to leave. 

“Wait!” Betty shouted and grabbed Jugheads sleeve.

“What?” he asked quietly. 

“Thank you for coming with me to Riverdale. I…This won’t be easy for me and I really appreciate that you will be by my side,” Betty said truthfully.

“I would do everything for you,” Jughead whispered as Betty caught the front side of his T-Shirt and pulled him down in a kiss.

Her whole body felt as if it was on fire. She ran her hand through Jughead’s dark curls as he pulled her closer. His hand trailed down to her waist. Betty wanted more. She wanted him. And she knew Jughead wanted her too. His hand began pulling at the hem of her blouse. She just wanted to give him permission when the door opened and Betty's neighbor Mrs. Lewis looked at her in shock. 

“I’m…I’m sorry, Mrs. Lewis,” Betty muttered trying to straighten her blouse. 

Mrs. Lewis shot her knowing look and went down the stairs. Jughead nervously rubbed his neck and looked at Betty apologetically. She just smiled shyly at him.

“Thank you for walking me home, Jones.”

“I didn’t know walking home included making out,” Jughead said jokingly, “I’ll pick you up at nine tomorrow?”

Betty nodded. “That would be great, Juggie.”

He smiled at her and dipped his head and kissed her again. When he backed away his eyes were darker than before. 

“Goodnight,” she whispered and slipped through the door behind her. 

When she had reached her apartment, she heard the sound of Jugheads car driving away. He had kissed her. She couldn’t believe it. And he also was willing to go to Riverdale with her. Was he the prince in shining armor Betty had been waiting for?

***

Jughead was pacing up and down in his bedroom. These green eyes and the blonde locks wouldn’t get out off his head. Ever since he had seen her at that bookstore, he had known that there was something between them. Jughead Jones had made many female friends and even had some girlfriends – not for long though – but he had never felt the things he felt when he saw Betty. He loved hearing her talk and how her eyes lightened up when she talked about books. How could he be so lucky as to meet a girl like her? Someone who was as passionate about books and writing as he was. 

At first, he thought she would totally freak out when she knew who he was like all the other girls had. He thought she would begin worshipping him, like one of those Hollywood stars. He didn’t want that. Sure, in the beginning when his book suddenly became a bestselling novel he loved the spotlight, but all the fans and paparazzi…after a little while he couldn’t take it anymore and isolated himself from the world. He stopped going to parties and moved from LA to New York. After a few months, all of his so-called new made friends forgot about him. He would still write and send his drafts out to his editor. After all, writing was what had kept him sane. It had been his remedy when his dad had gotten himself all drunk and needed his son to pick him up from the bar. 

Jughead was glad that he was now able to afford to send him to rehab. As far as he was concerned his father was doing a lot better. He remembered beginning "The Secrets of Ordinary People" on his old typewriter he just wanted to write out the feelings that were boiling up inside him. He would never have thought that it would be such a massive hit. He thought this would be the best thing to happen to him in his life, but when he looked into these green eyes for the first time, he knew that she was. Betty Cooper had a strong grip on his heart and he didn’t want her to let go. 

His computer lit up and was showing him that somebody was calling for a video chat. Jughead clicked the green button and Jellybeans face filled out the screen. 

“Big J,” she screamed.

“How many times, JB, have I told you to not call me that,” he said a little bit annoyed.

“Whatever. I was just calling you because I wanted to know what you were doing on Christmas?”

“I will be spending it with…a friend of mine,” Jughead murmured.

“A friend? What friend?” Jellybean asked curiously.

“Come on, JB, don’t act like I haven’t got any friends,” he said.

“Yeah, right. You have me – and I’m your little sister by the way – and Toni, but you haven’t seen her in months, right? And Sweet Pea…Well, I don’t even know where is, so…”

“I made a new friend, Jelly,” Jughead admitted.

“Uh, really? Is it a girl? Are you dating again?” Jellybean asked and crossed her leg on her sofa.

“Yes, she is and…I guess I am?” Jughead said quietly.

“Oh my god! Really? This is great! What’s her name?” 

“Betty. She is a journalist and she invited me to spend the holidays with her and her family in a town called Riverdale,” Jughead told her.

“Oh, sounds great…Does she know who you are?” his little sister wanted to know.

“Yeah, she does…and surprisingly she hasn’t yet run away from me,” Jughead said smilingly.

“What are you doing wrong, Jughead?” Jellybean teased him, “But seriously that sounds amazing. I haven’t seen you this happy since we found that Burger restaurant where they served curly fries. She must be pretty great.”

“She is…Look, JB, I have to get up early tomorrow to wash my car before we go to Riverdale,” Jughead said.

“Always a gentleman, aren’t you, Jones?” Jellybean sighed, “I’ll call you on Christmas and check in with you?” 

“Until then, JB. Goodnight,” Jughead said as he closed his computer and let it sit on his lap for a little while. He missed Jellybean, but she was better off in Toledo, studying Psychology. Maybe he would visit her for her birthday. He knew that she would love that. 

He stretched himself and looked outside where the stars were shining brightly. He had to go to bed now if he wanted to wash his car before he would pick up Betty. He was so excited for the next day and also a little bit nervous. Had Betty been right? Was it too early for him to meet her parents? To see the town where she grew up in? The town where she left at age eighteen for reasons Jughead would hopefully soon find out. 

He looked over to the coffee table where his crown shaped beanie was laying. His protection, his safety blanket. He didn’t need it tonight. He had never felt so comfortable around someone before, but Betty was different. He knew from the moment he first saw her. He knew she was something special. And he had never in his life been as surprised as when she kissed him. When he closed his eyes, he could still feel her fingers running through his hair, her pink lips smiling shyly at him when her neighbor caught them making out. Was he falling in love with her?


	4. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead and Betty head to Riverdale for Christmas

Jughead picked Betty up at nine in the morning. She was carrying a big pink bag and an extra backpack.

“I didn’t know you were moving to Riverdale,” Jughead said chuckling.

Betty pulled a grimace and stuffed her things in the back of Jugheads car. 

“What do you want to listen to?” Jughead asked as he began driving out of the city.

“I don’t know…Do you like Hozier?” 

Jughead shrugged and Betty started one of her playlists. After a while she caught Jughead tapping on the starring wheel in the rhythm of the song. She smiled a little bit. This was going to be fun. 

After a while, Jughead decided that he was hungry, and they stopped by a diner. 

“In Riverdale, we have this diner - it’s called Pop’s - and it has the best burgers and milkshakes in the world,” Betty told him as she was stealing one of his fries. 

“The best burgers, huh? Well, you got to take me there, Betts,” Jughead said as he took another bite of his burger. 

“Oh, I will, but today my mom is cooking dinner,” Betty admitted.  
“Did you…did you tell her about me?”

“I told her I was bringing a friend from New York…I didn’t mention that we were dating,” Betty confessed and bit her lip nervously. 

“Ah, well…we hadn’t had that talk yet anyways,” Jughead said as he was eating another fry. 

“What talk?”

“You know, where we talk about what we are and where this relationship is headed…” Jughead began.

“I like it where it is right now…Don’t you?” Betty asked anxiously.

Jughead saw the worry on Betty's face. “Hey, Betts. Look, I like where we are now too…I just…You know…,” he stuttered, not finding the right words.

“What?” Betty asked.

“I would like to call you my…girlfriend?” Jughead whispered, looking straight into her eyes.

“I…,” Betty said startled, “I would…like that too.”

“You do?”

“Well, yeah,” Betty said softly and reached out to caress Jugheads hands.

Jughead smiled relieved and took another bite of his burger.

“Thank you for being here, Juggie,” Betty said as she took another one of his fries.

“Well, I will leave if you keep stealing my food,” he murmured, but when Betty looked at him in concern he grinned.

Half an hour later they were on the road again, listening to Hozier’s warm voice. 

“Before we reach Riverdale…I have to warn you about my mom…She can be a little bit much,” Betty admitted. 

Jughead smiled lightly. “I think I can take it, Betts.”

Betty didn’t think Jughead could even imagine how Betty’s mom would react when she would bring a strange man into her house. She sincerely hoped that her mom would make an exception and wouldn’t grill Jughead on Christmas Eve. But then again, she was Alice Cooper, so who knew.

When they passed the town sign Betty began feeling a little bit nervous. Her fingers began drumming against the armrest on Jughead’s car. After a while, Jughead noticed that Betty had grown silent and was staring outside the windows.

“Is everything okay?” he asked quietly.

Betty nodded, but she stayed silent.

“Betty? Are you sure?”

“This is just…There are a lot of memories here,” she whispered, “Everything comes flooding back to me and it’s just a little…much.” Her voice broke and tears ran down her cheeks. 

“Hey, Betty, don’t cry, hey,” Jughead said as he pulled over and got out off the car. He opened the door and crouched down next to her. “Tell me what happened, Betts,” he said his voice was so calm Betty wanted to start crying again.

“I can’t…I just…,” she stuttered.

“Betty,” Jughead said taking her hands into his, “I won’t judge you, whatever it is that happened here. I promise. Can you trust me?”

Betty looked into his blue eyes and nodded. 

“Okay, I will tell you everything,” she finally said, and she did. She told him how Jason got murdered, how her mother had taken Polly to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy and how a serial killer had threatened her. Jughead held her hand through all of it and didn’t interrupt her once and when she ended her story he pulled her out from the car and hugged her. Betty was puzzled for a few minutes until she hugged him back and buried her face in his chest.

“Everything is going to be all right, Betty,” he whispered as he pressed a kiss into her hair. She stood back to look at him. A few of his dark curls had escaped his beanie and had fallen into his eyes, which looked at her in concern. 

“I liked you better without that hat,” she said as she reached up and took it off his head. Jughead smiled and pressed his lips against hers. This kiss was different from the one they shared last night, it was more passionate and full off unspoken emotions. When Betty pulled away she smiled lightly. 

“We have to get to my mom’s now or otherwise she will kill me for being late for dinner,” she said. Jughead sighed, but he got back into the car and they continued driving through the small town. 

***

“Elizabeth Cooper!” the firm voice of Alice Cooper greeted them at the porch. Jughead had never seen a house as tidy as the Cooper’s. Alice Cooper looked at him judgingly as he entered the house. 

“So, you’re Jug-head,” she said, and her eyes scanned him from top to bottom. He shifted uncomfortably.

“Yes, Mrs. Cooper,” he said quietly.

“Betty tells me you’re an author. My husband and I run the local newspaper…Maybe we could read some of your writing?” she asked when Betty and Jughead followed her to the living room.

“I believe you already have, mom,” Betty said with a satisfied smile on her face.

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “I did?”

“See, Mrs. Cooper, I…I wrote The Secrets of Ordinary People,” Jughead said nervously. 

“You…What?” Alice Cooper said a little off guard and then she turned to her daughter, “You didn’t tell me that.” 

Betty smiled widely. “Oh yeah, I must have forgotten.”

“Please choose a place to your likings, Mr. Jones,” Alice said politely.

“You can call me Jughead,” he said as he sat down next to Betty. Alice Cooper glared at her daughter and then left the room.

“You haven’t told her on purpose, haven’t you?” he asked, smirking at his girlfriend.

“I just love when I can make her uncomfortable,” Betty admitted. 

“Well, you got her pretty good,” Jughead said and placed a hand on Betty’s thigh. Betty just wanted to say something as Polly entered the room.

“Betty! Oh my god! I can’t believe you’re here!” she screamed as she hugged her younger sister, “And you must be Jughead, right?”

“Yes, nice to meet you,” Jughead said shaking her hand. 

“Look, dad and the twins will be here any minute, so why don’t you two set the table?” Alice's voice came from the kitchen.

“Oh, I can help, Mrs. Cooper,” Jughead said as he was taking some plates from Betty's arms.

“Oh, no. You stay right here,” Alice said pointing at the chair.

“No, no, I’m happy to help.”

Alice pulled up her eyebrows, but she went back to the kitchen. 

“I’ve never seen mom so embarrassed before,” Polly said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I know…Is it bad that I don’t feel sorry for her?” Betty asked.

“Nah,” Polly answered as the door opened and her father with the twins came through it. 

They had a great evening. Jughead told Betty’s parents stories about a few of his author friends, which they were eager to hear, and Betty spent time with her sister. Polly told Betty everything that had happened in Riverdale – which hadn’t been much – and then they both watched the twins as they began singing a few Christmas Carols. 

A few minutes before midnight Betty and Jughead decided to head back to their hotel room to get some rest. Betty had to promise to her mother to come to breakfast tomorrow and to bring her new friend. 

“You’ve made quite an impression on them,” Betty said as she and Jughead went back to their hotel.

“They are nice people,” he admitted and laid his arm around Betty’s waist. 

As they walked in silence, the snow began falling again. “Jughead?”  
“Hm?”

“Do you believe in soulmates?” Betty asked him.

“That there’s someone out there that you are destined to be with? Not really. Why?” he answered.

“Because,” Betty said as she stopped walking to face Jughead, “my mom used to tell me that we’re all broken people and when we found our soulmate they’d be the only one to fix us.”

“You are not broken, Betty,” Jughead said softly taking her hands.

“Not anymore, Jug,” she said as she pulled her hand back and showed him the faded scars on her palms, “Since I met you I stopped. I don’t know why, Juggie, but you make me feel safe and…I love being safe with you.”

“I…Betty…,” he stuttered. Betty took a step back. Did she finally freak him out? There was fear in his eyes. She had clearly crossed a line.

“Jug, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t…” she began, but Jughead waved his hands.

“No, Betty. What I’m about to tell you will sound completely crazy and I don’t want you to freak out, but…I love you, Betty Cooper,” he said quietly.

He saw Betty looking at him in surprise. He had finally freaked her out. Good one, Jones. Betty bit her lip nervously and stepped closer to him. “Jughead Jones, I love you.”

He hadn’t had time to say or think anymore because her mouth covered his and they were kissing. He could feel Betty smiling as they parted. 

“Thank you for coming here with me,” she murmured.

“Thank you for taking me here,” Jughead whispered and pulled her closer again. As he leaned in for a kiss the church bells started chiming. Betty giggled lightly.

“Merry Christmas, Juggie,” she said quietly against his mouth.

“Merry Christmas, Betty,” Jughead whispered as he kissed her again, the snow covering his dark curls and her blonde ponytail.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Secret Santa Bughead fanfiction for @wonderrful. Merry Christmas, love <3
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr if you want to, it's @christmasbughead


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